A study on the correlates of general well-being

Pages: 27-32
Somdeb Mitra (Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

Positive psychology aims to scientifically study human happiness and enhance well-being. The present study explores the roles of cognitive emotion regulation, ego functions and meaning in life in the development of general well-being among individuals. Sample consisted of 110 adult individuals (54 females, and 56 males aged 25-50 years). They were individually administered PGI general well-being scale (Verma & Verma, 1989), cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (Garrefski et al., 2001), ego functions assessment Scale (Bellack et al., 1989) and the meaning in life questionnaire (Steger et al., 2006). Data were analyzed using ‘t’ test, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that general well-being was positively correlated with positive cognitive emotion regulation, presence of meaning in life, and the 11 of the 12 ego functions. It was also found that defensive functioning, positive cognitive emotion regulation and presence of meaning in life contributed significantly to the development of general well-being.